Monthly Archives: May 2013

Two news items, both from Oregon, and both dealing with the right and ability to defend yourself. Apparently, the fine folks in Oregon are intent on having you as defenseless as possible.

The first one is from a week or so back, and received scant attention before the Memorial Day Weekend. From CBSLocal.com:

An Oregon woman was told by a 911 dispatcher that authorities wouldn’t be able be able to help her as her ex-boyfriend broke into her place, because of budget cuts.

Oregon Public Radioreports that an unidentified woman called 911 during a weekend in August 2012 while Michael Bellah was breaking into her place. Her call was forwarded to Oregon State Police because of lay-offs at the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office only allows the department to be open Monday through Friday.

“Uh, I don’t have anybody to send out there,” the 911 dispatcher told the woman. “You know, obviously, if he comes inside the residence and assaults you, …can you ask him to go away?

“If you like your Insurance Plan, you can KEEP your Insurance Plan…” — Again, that depends: do you buy your insurance yourself, rather than through your employer? Do you own a Small Business? If so, then NO, you likely can’t keep your existing plan. Sorry ’bout that…

“Your Healthcare will be better…” — That was always laughable, since adding millions of people to the ranks of the insured doesn’t add a proportionate number of doctors (see “If You Like Your Doctor” above…). Your care can’t be better when the same number (or fewer) doctors are attempting to care for tens of millions more patients.

I know, some of you have long ago tilled and mulched, your veggies are well up and your flowers are blooming to beat the band. But here in Indiana, Spring couldn’t make up its mind whether to arrive with all its baggage, or to stay in the Bahamas for another month. We had our last frost on May 14th, we’re getting some much-needed rain now…and it’s time to get going!

Who am I kidding? Between the granddaughter and the theater season, I couldn’t have begun even a day sooner than I did. As of Saturday, our front beds are weed-free and mulched at last; tomorrow morning I’m donning my armor and going to do battle with the evil giant thistles in the back gardens. Sometimes I feel like Hercules fighting the Hydra…the noxious things seem to grow back double for every one I kill.

Thinking about unwanted plants reminds me of a post on weeding that I wrote in June of 2009 (over at Winnowing)…here it is again, a cautionary tale on more than one level. Continue reading →

Courtesy of our buddy, Cosmo, comes a marvelous allegory for society today. The moral of the story is impossible to miss, and I believe he nails the truth of it: this scenario would’ve played out largely the same whether the participants were 8, 18, or 38.

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Sadly, until more of us RE-learn the virtue of self-control and begin acting like mature adults again, I fear we’ll continue to behave as an entire NATION of 8-year-olds…

Last weekend my son got invited to a party with some of his 2nd grade classmates and something interesting happened that I had not expected – I observed a social experiment that demonstrated the failures of Liberal policy.

There were 7 boys at the party and the plan was for the kids to spend 2 hours at a very large Fun Park that is loaded with all sorts of fun link video games, go-karts, a large indoor playground, putt-putt, bowling, lazer tag, etc. The father who threw the party gave every kid a $25 card to be used at the park and this was very generous considering the games usually required just $0.25 for each play. These 2nd graders could do anything they wanted to do as long as their gift cards still had money on them.

“Holder was the one responsible for the Marc Rich pardons, and it was his Justice Department that dropped the voter intimidation caseagainst the New Black Panther Party back in 2009. Holder also had the bright idea of trying terrorists in criminal court, an idea which thankfully was blown up by Lindsey Graham, of all people. But that isn’t why he needs to go (at least, that’s not allof it).

No, his refusal to adequately explain his knowledge and involvement in Operation ‘Fast and Furious’ is why Holder is guilty of at LEAST contempt, and why it’s long past time for him to leave.”

I was 1000% right then, …and I’m even moreright now: Eric Holder deserves to be fired and perp-walked down the steps to a waiting paddy wagon.

The video below is still the best, most stirring Memorial Day Tribute I’ve ever found.

May God Bless our brave military men and women, too many of whom have sacrificed EVERYTHING to protect our freedom. They are the reason we can spend today cooking hot dogs and hamburgers with our family.

Our pastor is preaching through the book of Ephesians right now. A couple of weeks ago, he talked about the difference between trespasses and sins. Trespassing is crossing a line…in the case of humanity, we’ve crossed a line that God drew, and it has separated us from Him.

I formed this picture in my mind, of God (as the hen gathering her chicks) with all of us huddled around Him, facing a line (some action or actions which would drive a wedge between us and make it impossible for us to go back). “Stay here,” He says. But our first ancestors, blinded by the lie–”You won’t really die…” (Genesis 3:4)–take the first fatal step in the wrong direction. And looking back they see a flaming sword barring their way.

‘…Directly in front of me, the monument to a monumental man: George Washington, Father of our country. A man of humility who came to greatness reluctantly. He led America out of revolutionary victory into infant nationhood. Off to one side, the stately memorial to Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration of Independence flames with his eloquence.

And then beyond the Reflecting Pool the dignified columns of the Lincoln Memorial. Whoever would understand in his heart the meaning of America will find it in the life of Abraham Lincoln.